


Candlewick Cove

by TriciaLG



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Established Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Familiars AU, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, M/M, WITCHES AU, after they find out who each other are, no break up/relationship drama, them facing the world together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:38:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriciaLG/pseuds/TriciaLG
Summary: Magnus is a witch, and he loves it. His teacher, Ragnor, with the help of his friend, Catarina, are teaching him how to use and control this magic. If only he didn't have to hide it from his boyfriend. But Alec is mortal, right?





	1. Chapter 1

It was almost two years after Magnus’s mother had killed herself, leading to the events that had brought Magnus to the little town of Candlewick Cove And despite the terrible events which had led to his arrival in Candlewick Cove, he had quickly grown to like the small town, and his current guardian, and teacher, Ragnor Fell. After his mother’s death, the care of Magnus had fallen to his father who, from an early age had decided he had wanted nothing to do with Magnus, pushed him off onto Ragnor, under the excuse of training magnus to use his powers.

His father, being a prominent figure in the world of witches, chose to stay in the other realm, rarely checking in on Magnus. But once Magnus had gotten over the rejection of his father, he began to appreciate his situation. His mother, who had not had any powers, had forbid him from ever using his powers, even if he was sure that no one would see him, because she was afraid he would be discovered. After coming to live with Ragnor, the man began to train him in how to control his powers, with the help of Caterina, another local witch. Since Candlewick Cove was near the convergence of not just two, but three ley lines, it had a high population of witches and descendants of all kinds of supernatural creatures, which had crossed over from the other realm centuries ago. Most of these descendants had no idea what they were, their powers or mutations having disappeared generations back, leaving them with just a strong pull towards locations of power, such as Candlewick Cove.

Magnus had initially been scared, anxious, to start at a new school, but he needn’t have worried, he was Magnus Bane after all. Magnus had quickly become popular, and friendly, if not friends, with almost everyone at Candlewick High, although he has a tight-knit group of close friends now, including Alexander.

Alec and Magnus had been dating for almost a year now. When Magnus had first met Alec, he had actually thought that Alec had hated him, with all of the cold looks, and his refusal to talk to him. (Which Magnus later realized were actually Alec, unable to take his eyes off of Magnus, and becoming too nervous to speak around him.) After a lot of prodding from their friends, on both sides, the two had finally managed to admit their feelings for each other, and quickly became the ‘It” couple of Candlewick High.

 

“Magnus!” Izzy exclaimed as she opened the door. Magnus was a common guest at the Lightwood house, even before he had begun dating Alec. Magnus would often show up, unannounced, just to work on homework or binge watch his latest Netflix obsession with the Lightwoods. As he stepped into the house behind Izzy, he saw the Lightwood’s cat, jump off of the couch where it had been napping, curled into a tight, black ball, and scamper from the room.

“I don’t think your cat likes me,” Magnus remarked, “It always runs away whenever it sees me.”

“He probably likes you more than you think.” Izzy commented, smiling like she was laughing at some kind of inside joke Magnus wasn’t in on.

"I don't think so." Magnus said doubtfully, "I mean, I don't even know his name,"

“Alec,” Isabelle said, before noticing Magnus’s questioning look and elaborating. “Uh, Alec named him, he should tell you.” She said as the man in question entered the room, coming down the stairs the cat had just scampered up.

“What?” Alec asked, trying to catch up with their conversation.

“Magnus wanted to know the cat’s name.” Isabelle explained as Alec made his way over to Magnus, leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek.

“Oh, uh, Midnight.” Alec stuttered out, “I know, I know, but I was a kid!” He defended at Magnus’s look.

“Well, whatever his name, he definitely doesn’t like me.” Magnus said.

“Yes he does.” Alec quickly argued back, but before Magnus could reply with all of the times the cat has run from him, He was distracted by yet another Lightwood.

“Magnus!” Maryse greeted him. “I thought that was your car outside.” She was entering the house from the garage, little Max in tow, absolutely covered in mud, still wearing his soccer cleats. “Bathroom down here Max, I don’t want you tracking that mud across the house!” She warned the youngest Lightwood before turning back to Magnus, “Are you going to stay for dinner?” Magnus looked at the expectant looks coming from all three younger Lightwoods, before looking back at Maryse. It made him want to blow off the training he had scheduled with Ragnor that night, but he could have dinner with the Lightwoods any night, the spell they were planning on casting had to be done the night before the full moon.

“I can’t,” Magnus admitted, “I actually just stopped by to drop something off, another time?” He offered.

“Next Sunday?” Maryse suggested.

“Sounds perfect.” Magnus smiled before turning to Alec, “Can we,” Magnus made a jerk with his head, the message obvious, he wanted to speak to Alec alone.

"Ooooh,” Isabelle cooed, while Maryse just shouted for them to keep the door open. Magnus was lucky he got along so well with Alec’s family, aside from some tension between him and the adopted member, Jace, who was thankfully out on a date tonight. Alec led him upstairs to his room, Magnus had been here so often, working on homework, studying, or sometimes even just napping after a long day, it was unusual for him that instead of flopping down on the bed, he remained standing.

“Is something wrong?” Alec asked, and Magnus immediately regretted anything he had done to make Alec worry.

“No, nothing.” Magnus said, “I just wanted to tell you this in person.” Magnus could see Alec visibly relax. He loved his Alexander, but the boy was so anxious, the slightest deviation from what was normal could send him into a downward spiral of overthinking and worst-case scenarios. “I’m leaving for the week. Ragnor has a work conference, and he apparently doesn’t trust me alone, so he’s bringing me with him.”

“Oh,” Alec said, his face fell a little at the news, and while Magnus hates the idea of leaving Alec for a week, he feels some comfort that Alec hates the thought almost as much as him.

“And, Since I’m going to be gone for our anniversary, I brought you this.” Magnus said, pulling the neatly wrapped box from his pocket. Alec took the box gingerly, looking at it for a few seconds before looking up at Magnus.

“I didn’t get you anything.” He said, heartbroken, “I should ha-“ Magnus cut him off.

“Hey, you didn’t know I’d be gone this week,” He said, leaning in to place a quick peck on Alec’s lips, “You can make it up to me when I get back.” He said, still only inches from Alec’s lips, “Now open it.” Magnus said, leaning back to give Alec room. After carefully unwrapping the paper, Alec opened the small box inside. It was a necklace, and although simple in design, was something more likely to be seen on Magnus than Alec, but Magnus hoped that Alec would still wear it; he had infused the necklace with every protection charm he could cast, although he couldn’t tell Alec that.  
“I love it.” Alec said, looking up at him, his eyes sparkling with genuine affection. Anyone else, Magnus might be afraid that they were lying, trying to cover up their dislike of the gift, but Alec was the most genuine person he knew, he’d never lie about anything to him. “Thank you,” Alec said, sneaking a hand around to cup the back of Magnus’s neck, pulling him into a kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Magnus noticed that the sun was beginning to set outside the windows of Alec’s room.

“I should go,” He said, although making no move to leave.

“Do you have to?” Alec asked, “Are you sure you can’t stay for dinner?”

“We’re leaving tonight.” Magnus answered, “And I still have to pack.”

“I’m going to miss you.” Alec told him bluntly.

“I’ll miss you too.” Magnus said, “Walk me to the door?”

“Sure.” Alec said, leading Magnus back downstairs. He walked Magnus back out to his car, kissing one last time before he let Magnus drive away.

Isabelle was waiting for Alec when he returned to the house.

“You need to be more careful.” She told him. “Magnus isn’t stupid. He’s already figured out that he’s never seen you and our ‘cat’ in the same room together.” Isabelle used her fingers to emphasize the word cat.

Alec had known he was a shapeshifter from an early age, in fact it had been the night before his first birthday that, upon hearing cries from the nursery, Maryse had entered to find a little black kitten in the crib rather than her son. The Truebloods were shapeshifters as far back as their lineage could be traced, so she wasn’t too concerned about her missing child, but while most learned to shapeshift before they hit puberty, shifting as an infant was nearly unheard of. Alec always felt more tied to his animal self than the rest of his family, which might have had something to do with it. When he had time, he’d rather lay around in his cat form, than as a human, unlike Izzy who usually only shifted if she was trying to sneak out. This had never been a problem until he had started dating Magnus, who would now stop by at any time of day, often unannounced, catching Alec still in his animal form. Of course unless he actually saw Alec shift, he wouldn’t find out the truth about the Truebloods, but the disappearing cat was enough to make him suspicious. Alec had to admit, Izzy was right, but he didn’t want to give up his favorite pastime, long naps in the sun spot on the living room couch.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't what I wanted this chapter to be, but I had some more things that had to be fleshed out before I could get into the story I wanted to tell...
> 
> And wow! I was not expecting the response I got from this story! Thank you to everyone who has read and commented to far! Really, It makes me want to write more, so thank you, and hope you enjoy! And I promise there will be more plot and less introspection in future chapters. Shape-shifting Alec shenanigans in the next chapter!

Magnus barely slept at all the whole week. While components of the spell did need constant supervision, Ragnor only needed Magnus’s help for the times that he slept himself, and while Ragnor was teaching Magnus at times, there was plenty of down time Magnus could have used to sleep. But Magnus still couldn’t think. Since they were now in the other realm, he was plagued with thoughts of his father. Would his father come to see him? His business meant that he couldn’t often leave the other realm, but he frequently traveled all over the realm. It would be easy for his father to even just drop by, to see how his son had been doing in the past two years. 

Magnus couldn’t decide what would be worse, his father visiting him or not. His father had made it clear after his mother’s death that he hadn’t been interested in raising his son. Him not making the little effort it would take to visit Magnus now would be just another sign that he just simply did not care about his son. But what if he did visit? It wasn’t like the two had anything to talk about. Magnus has barely spoken to the man before, but he’s heard things. Things from Ragnor and Cat when they don’t think he can hear, things from other witches when they visit, when this realize who he is, things that don’t exactly paint the nicest picture of his father. Rumors of the unpleasant fates his political opponents have faced, none of which could be directly traced back to Asmodeus, but lack of evidence doesn’t mean innocence. 

Magnus figures that he must have been obvious about his inner turmoil, because by the end of the week, even Ragnor, famous for his easy dismissal of anything remotely emotional, asked him how he was doing. 

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Magnus lied, “I just can’t sleep, I guess I’m not used to this realm.” The other realm never fully darkened, the sky was always lit with a haunting red glow, like you were surrounded on all sides by a raging fire, just far enough to be out of sight, but close enough to light up the sky. It was enough to make Magnus’s lie believable, which for Ragnor was enough, latching on to an opportunity to not discuss their emotions.

“Too used to the comfort of your bed, eh?” He asked, “Don’t let it distract you, this last part of the spell is the most dangerous.” But he left it at that, something Magnus was grateful for, he’d been thinking a lot about his father in the past week, but he wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about it. 

Thankfully Magnus found himself lost in the preparations to finish the spell, and he didn’t spare another thought to his father until they were at the veil, the spot where the barrier between the two realms was the thinnest, and preparing to cross through. As Ragnor was preparing the spell to allow them to cross through unharmed, Magnus finally accepted that his father wouldn’t be making an attempt to see him. Magnus was surprised to realize that he was relived, but he decided that he could examine his reasoning later, right now he just wanted to sleep. 

After passing through the veil, as the two were driving back from where they had crossed through, Ragnor asked him if he wanted to be dropped off at the Lightwood’s house.

“What?” Magnus asked, confused.

“You said Maryse invited you over for dinner Sunday night, right?” Ragnor asked, he was used to reminding Magnus of plans he had made and then forgotten about.

“It’s Sunday night already?” Magnus asked, looking at his phone, which he had just plugged in to change to confirm that it was 6:37 pm in Sunday. Time in the other realm passed differently than in the mortal realm. Not by much, you could usually predict within a day or two what the time would be from one realm to another, but just enough to make travel between the two realms difficult. Magnus had been hoping that they would be back late Saturday, or maybe early Sunday, giving him enough time to catch up on some of his sleep. He completed most of his homework from the week while in the other realm, Ragnor had made sure of that, but he still wanted some part of his weekend left. Of course, if he only had a few hours left, there was no better place to spend it that with the Lightwoods. 

As Ragnor pulled up outside of the Lightwood’s house the door burst open. “Magnus!” Max screamed as he came racing towards the car, being chased by Alec, with Maryse waiting in the doorway. 

“Hey there squirt!” Magnus said, picking up the boy with ease and spinning him around. By the time he put him down, Alec had reached to pair, greeting Magnus with a quiet, “Hey” and a quick kiss. 

“Eww!” Max exclaimed at the sight of the two kissing. He had recently reached that age where he decided that all PDA was ‘gross’. Alec rolled his eyes and pick Max up, heaving him over his shoulder, despite Max’s screams of protest. 

“Magnus!” Maryse called from the doorway, “Why don’t you ask Ragnor if he’s like to stay for dinner?” She must have been loud because Ragnor rolled the driver’s side window down and called back. 

“Oh thank you Maryse, but I couldn’t. I still have to unpack everything from our trip.” 

“Another time then.” Maryse decided before retreating back into the house. Alec put Max down to run after her and, once Ragnor pulled out of the driveway, left the two alone.

“Hey there.” Magnus said, turning to look at Alec, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Alec replied, once again kissing Magnus, although this time without his mother, Magnus’s guardian, and his kid brother watching. Finally, he pulled back, looking carefully at Magnus, “Are you okay? You look tired.” 

“I’m fine.” Magnus said, “Just jetlag.” 

“Okay,” Alec said, sounding unconvinced, “Come on. He said, grabbing Magnus’s hand in his and pulling him towards the house.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback and Dinner!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I know I promised shape-shifting shenanigans in this chapter, but I got drawn into something else first....  
> The next chapter is almost finished though! I'll post it in a day or two, I just split it up because it was getting long, and it covered two different topics with two different moods...

“Mmm, that smells delicious.” Magnus remarked as they entered the house, loud enough he hoped Maryse would hear him from the kitchen. 

“Thank you Magnus,” She called out in response. 

“Suck up.” Alec whispered into his ear.

“Shut up, you know you love how much your family loves me.” Magnus whispered back, if the smile on his boyfriend’s face was anything to go off, he was right.

“Max!” They heard Maryse call out in alarm before Max emerged from the kitchen heading towards the table with a tilting tower of dishes, glasses, and silverware, “I told you to take two trips! You’re going to drop something and break it!”

Sure enough, three feet from the table, Max lost his balance, and while the entire pile didn’t topple, a glass from the top tipped and fell. Before it could hit the ground and break however, Alec reached out with cat-like reflexes and grabbed it. Magnus was glad he did, he had just barely managed to stop himself from using magic to catch it. Outing himself as a witch to the entire Lightwood family was not on his to-do list for the night. He did want to tell Alec, but not like that.

“Max.” Alec began sternly as Max put the other dishes down on the table he had been asked to set.

“I know, I know.” Max began, cutting Alec off before he could begin to scold Max. “I forgot the forks!” He said, bolting back into the kitchen. Alec rolled his eyes at his younger brother’s antics, but brought the dropped glass over to the table and began to set out the dishes Max had brought. Magnus joined him, helping with the silverware, forks included. As they set the table, Magnus counted only six place settings. 

“Where’s your dad?” He asked Alec quietly, so as not to be heard from the other room. Alec gave him a look, full of fury, but not directed at Magnus. 

“He’s not welcome here anymore.” He said.

“Is your mom finally going through with the divorce?” Magnus asked hopefully.

 

Two months ago now, Alec had taken him out on a date. Magnus must have been complaining about how much he missed the city a lot, because Alec had surprised him with dinner at a nice restaurant in the nearest city, which was unfortunately over an hour drive from Candlewick Cove. The night had been going well, the two enjoying a day of shopping, strolling through the city streets, and even seeing a play, A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, before heading to dinner. At the restaurant, they had been having a lively discussion about the play when Alec had suddenly gone silent, his gaze resting, unmoving, on something behind Magnus. He turned to see what had caught Alec’s attention and saw Alec’s father, Robert, having dinner with a young, no older than 25, blonde woman he didn’t recognize.

“Do you know who that is?” He asked Alec, placing a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder in an effort to bring his attention back to him. 

“That’s Marie, his campaign manager.” Alec said, still staring at the pair. 

“Maybe it’s a work dinner?” Magnus suggested, but he knew it was unlikely. The way she was looking at him, laughing a bit to hard at his jokes, loud enough Alec and Magnus could hear her from across the restaurant, all seemed to unprofessional for it to be a work dinner. He turned back around just in time to see Marie lean over to kiss Robert before he torn his gaze away and back to Alec. 

“Let’s get out of here.” He said, and Alec just nodded, but didn’t say anything. Magnus called over the waiter, who seemed to understand something terrible had happened, and managed to bring them their dinners, wrapped to go, something the restaurant normally didn’t do, and even added a dish of chocolate mousse to the bag that Magnus didn’t see on the bill, and had them out the door in under five minutes.

Unfortunately, they had been sat near the back of the restaurant, and there was no way to leave that would not bring them right past the table where Alec’s father was sitting with his date. Alec walked by, his back hunched and face turned the other way, but as Magnus followed him, he was noticed. 

“Magnus?” He heard Robert ask in confusion. Magnus had been a common guest at the Lightwoods, even before he had gotten together with Alec, because of his friendship with Isabelle, so Robert should be able to recognize him easily. At this, Alec turned around, standing next to Magnus, looking at his father with an expressionless look on his face. Magnus could tell that he was furious with his father, but with both of his parents in politics, Alec had learned from an early age to not express any negative emotions in public. If there was an issue, the family would deal with it at home, out of the eyes of the public. “Alec.” Robert stood and started towards him, but Alec had already grabbed Magnus’s wrist and was pulling him towards the door. “Alec, just let me explain.” Robert called after them, “Just let me explain before you talk to your mother!” They were out of the restaurant before he could say any more and Alec collapsed into the passenger seat of his car. 

“Can you drive?” He asked Magnus, with a look that on anyone else would have been described as a pout, but Alexander Lightwood does not pout. Magnus didn’t need to know how to drive back when he had lived in the city, but since moving to Candlewick Cove, he’d learned that driving was a necessity of small towns. 

“Sure.” Magnus said, gently taking the key’s from Alec’s hand, he could understand Alec not wanting to drive right now. “Do you want to go home?” He asked. 

“I-I don’t know.” Alec said as Magnus slid into the driver’s seat and began adjusting the mirrors. 

“Okay.” Magnus said, not pushing Alec, “You have time to think about it.”

They drove in silence for a while. As the approached town Magnus pulled off onto a familiar dirt road that took them up the hill. It was just a little scenic outlook, but it gave Magnus a chance to stop the car and look over at Alec.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked Alec after a minute.

“I don’t know.” Alec said truthfully. “What do I tell my mom?” Magnus gave Alec a small smile and brushed his hair back from his forehead. 

“You don’t have to tell her anything.” Magnus said, “It’s up to you.”

“I have to tell her.” Alec said, turning to face Magnus, “She should know, right?” 

“I agree.” Magnus said and Alec’s gaze darkened.

“I just, I don’t know how.” Alec admitted, looking down at his hands before looking up, hopefully, at Magnus. 

“Well, you don’t have to tell her immediately.” Magnus offered. “Here,” he said, reaching for the food the waiter had packed up for them, “Why don’t we eat, you can try to forget about this for a little bit. You don’t have to talk to her until you get home.” Alec smiled at this. 

“I love you,” He told Magnus, leaning to place a quick kiss on Magnus’s lips before he reached for the food. The rest of the night was good, they were able to return to the care-free joy that they had had earlier on in their date. 

When they finally returned to the Lightwood residence, where Magnus had parked his own car earlier that day before they had left, it was after ten. Magnus was again thankful that while Ragnor could be strict at times, he had never imposed a curfew on Magnus. Maryse however, had been up waiting for them. She worried about her children driving late at night after her brother, Max, had been killed by a drunk driver. 

“Alec, Magnus!” She greeted as they walked through the door. “What’s wrong?” She asked, picking up on her son’s emotions. Alec doesn’t always display his emotions conventionally, or even at all, most of the time, but while Magnus has learned to pick up on them, Maryse always seems to be in tune with what her oldest is thinking. 

“mom, I-“ Alec began and Magnus felt Alec’s hand searching for his own. He grabbed his boyfriend’s hand and held tightly, comforting him the only way he felt able to. 

“We, uh, Dad-“ Alec tried again and again to figure out how to start, Magnus couldn’t stand to see his boyfriend struggling, so he chimed in.

“We saw Robert at the restaurant we went for dinner.” Magnus said and he saw Maryse’s face fall. She didn’t seem surprised as much as she looked tired. 

“He was out with Marie again.” She said flatly and Alec’s head swung up. 

“You knew?” He asked in disbelief. 

“Yes, I knew your father was cheating on me.” Maryse said, and Magnus could see her age. She normal didn’t look old enough to have three teenage children, but she looked older now. “He said it wouldn’t happen again, but” She sighed.

“Why are you still with him?” Alec asked, angry. “If he cheated on you-“

“Look, Alec,” She began.

“Is it politics?” Alec asked.

“Partly.” She admitted, “Part of it is political. People would say that I can’t run this town as a single mother divorcee. His career would take the bigger hit though, you know he ran for congress on a platform of ‘family values’, it wouldn’t look good for him to leave his family and run off with someone half his age, right before his reelection campaign.” Sometimes Magnus hated how the Lightwoods’ whole lives seemed to revolve around politics, although it seemed like his father’s did too, at least the Lightwoods made time for their children. “Part of it is that a divorce would me more hassle than your father’s worth.” Maryse admitted. 

“Mom,” Alec said, softer and gentler than Magnus had ever heard him as he put a hand on his mother’s shoulder. “You deserve better.” 

“Thank you.” She said, placing a hand on top of his. “Can you do me a favor?” She asked in a quiet voice and Alec immediately nodded, “Can you not tell your siblings? I’ll tell them, just not yet.” 

“Of course.” Alec promised. 

 

Magnus was hoping that Maryse had realized that she did deserve better than Robert and was finally going through with the divorce. 

“No,” Alec said, “She said that he was getting careless with his ‘dalliances’ and she didn’t want to see him. He packed his stuff last weekend and has been in DC ever since.” Magnus still wished that she would choose to go through with a divorce, but at least she had kicked him out of the house. 

 

Dinner was uneventful, other than Jace and Max fighting over the last roll, which ended in them dropping the roll, and while both were still prepared to still eat it, they were waved off by a warning from Maryse. Magnus had never experienced family dinners before the Lightwoods, dinner with just him and his mother weren’t the same and Ragnor found food to be just something you are to continue moving, not something that should be savored and revered by family dinners. 

After dinner, Maryse, as usual, waved off all of his attempts to help her with the dishes, a task which delegated to Jace and Isabelle since Alec set the table and Max helped, kind of. 

He and Alec settled down onto the couch together, Magnus was telling Alec stories he had made up about his trip with Ragnor. Some of them were based off of the truth, like Ragnor spilling coffee, it was actually a potion made from several rare ingredients, all down his shirt, but being too distracted he forgot to change it for the rest of the day until the stain had set and it would be impossible to get out. Others, like the overly friendly concierge at the hotel they stayed in whom Magnus was convinced was harboring a flame for Ragnor, were completely fabricated. Magnus sometimes wished he could tell Alec what he was really doing when he was away, it would be nice to not have to lie to his boyfriend about things, but he knew he couldn’t, it would put Alec into too much danger. 

When Isabelle and Jace finished with the dishes, Isabelle came to join them, settling into the arm chair next to the couch while Jace retreated upstairs, no doubt to Facetime with Clary. 

“Alec,” Maryse said, emerging from her office, “Didn’t you say that you had a paper to write?” Alec groaned. 

“It’s alright big brother,” Isabelle said, “I’ll keep Magnus company!”

“Hey,” Magnus said, pulling Alec down closer, so their noses were almost touching, “Just think of it as incentive to finish that paper quickly.” He said before quickly kissing him before releasing Alec to go upstairs.

“Besides,” Isabelle added, “It’s almost time for-“

“I forgot!” Magnus exclaimed, “It’s the finale tonight too, right?” 

“Yeah!” Isabelle answered, diving for the remote. Alec chuckled at their antics before he made his way upstairs towards his room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the shape shifting shenanigans I have promised! Enjoy the light-hearted messing around while you can because a more serious plot lurks right around the corner.

Alec should have been working on the essay he had due for AP US history the next day, in fact that’s what he had told Magnus he was doing, but he just couldn’t think of anything to say. Magnus was over, visiting with Izzy. They were watching the finale of one of those reality shows the two enjoyed. Alec didn’t get them, but he wouldn’t judge the pair for watching. Alec loved how well Magnus got along with Isabelle and the rest of his family. Family was important to Alec, and he wasn’t sure what he’d do if they didn’t approve of the man he was dating, but thankfully with Magnus he didn’t have to find out. 

Alec couldn’t concentrate on his essay, but he didn’t want to make Magnus feel like he had to stop watching the show with Isabelle to spend time with Alec. Alec decided that this might be a great time to work on Magnus’s belief that the Lightwood’s cat hated him. After transforming into his cat form, Alec made his way downstairs Izzy and Magnus were sitting together on the couch. Alec made his way towards the pair, brushing up against Magnus’s ankles to get him to notice him. 

“Midnight!” Magnus exclaimed, “I guess you’re getting used to me, huh?” He asked, scratching behind the cat’s ears. 

“Midnight?” Izzy said in confusion. “I thought Alec said he had a paper to write.” 

“He does.” Magnus answered, picking the cat up and placing him on his lap. “Why?”

“Oh, just Midnight tends to stay with him when he’s writing.” Isabelle lied, “He must the heat from Alec’s laptop.” 

“Well he likes me mores.” Magnus said, now scratching underneath the cat’s chin, much to the satisfaction of Midnight, if his purring was anything to go by. Alec, or well, Midnight’s appearance was largely forgotten once the show came back from commercial. Midnight was curled up on Magnus’s lap, who was absentmindedly stroking the cat while deep in conversation with Isabelle.

Once the show had ended, the pair decided upon a rerun of Parks and Rec they found, left on in the background as they talked, Isabelle making sure to fill Magnus in on everything he had missed in the past week that Alec would have never thought to tell him about, from Sarah and John’s latest break-up, to the horrors Isabelle was forced to endure in their shared Anatomy class because Magnus wasn’t there to be her partner for the week’s dissection, leaving her to be partnered with Simon. Apparently Simon didn’t handle the it well, leaving Isabelle to do most of the work. 

“I haven’t heard Alec in a while.” Magnus remarked, “It shouldn’t have taken him that long to write his paper.” Alec stood, stretching his back before leaping off of Magnus’s lap and onto the coffee table, realizing he should probably leave so that he could make a reappearance as Alec the human, but he paused when he heard Izzy.

“Well if Alec isn’t here, it gives me a chance to tell you all of the embarrassing childhood stories he always stops me from telling.” She said with a smirk, her eyes meeting Alec’s in a challenging look. He could leave now and not know what Isabelle was saying about him, but cut her off after only a minute or two, or he could stay and hear everything she said for as long as she’d be talking. Alec turned around to fully look at her, sitting to indicate that he’s be listening to everything she was going to be saying.

“Oh yes.” Magnus said, also turning to look at her. “Tell me everything.” At this Alec flicked his tail in annoyance, moving it dangerously close to where Izzy had put her glass. She notices this and pushed it a few inches away from him, out of his reach. 

“Oooh, have you heard about the time Jace dared him to eat a marble?” Izzy began. Alec glared, he didn’t do it because Jace dared him, he did it so Jace wouldn’t.

“Oh, I can see Jace doing that.” Magnus laughed. Alec got up and walked the foot between himself and where Isabelle had moved her glass, then sat down again, swishing his tail threateningly. 

“Apparently, it was red and white so they couldn’t tell if it was a mint or a marble, so Alec just, ate it.” Isabelle elaborated. Of course it sounded worse when she told it, Alec mused, he thought he had been doing the noble thing in eating it, so that if it was a marble, his younger brother wouldn’t eat it. Of course now it doesn’t make as much sense, he could have just licked it, or smelled it, or even just given up and gone on with his life never knowing if it truly was a mint or a marble, but he was eight at the time, he shouldn’t be judged on adult standards!

Magnus grinned, then started laughing.

“What?” Isabelle asked him. 

“Oh, I was just thinking, maybe he hasn’t changed all that much. He definitely still likes putting things in his mouth.” Magnus joked and Isabelle began laughing. Alec meowed in protest and began stalking along the table towards Magnus.

“Oh, and then when he was in fifth grade, at a school dance, a girl kissed him and he puked on her shoes.” Isabelle said, laughing through it.

“No!” Magnus said in disbelief, “Really?” That story was true, but it wasn’t as bad as Isabelle was making it seem. He was still friends with Lydia, even after she went to an all-girls catholic school after middle-school. They still hung out when she was home for the holidays. She understood that it was a nervous reaction and not a statement on her kissing skills. 

“Yeah, I swear! Mom brought me with her to pick him up from the dance. I saw it happen!” Isabelle added. “You can even ask Jace, he was at the dance too.” Alec was starting to get uncomfortable with this. He had to find a way to stop them for long enough he could escape and make his return as ‘Alec’, instead of ‘Midnight’.

“I mean, I know he’s gay, bu-“ Magnus was cut off when he saw Midnight, very purposefully, knock up against his glass, knocking it off of the coffee table, the glass shattering and its contents spilling everywhere. 

“Midnight no!” Isabelle shouted, grabbing the cat off of the table. “Bad cat!” She shouted at the cat who, if you asked Magnus, had a very self-satisfied look on its face. 

“Careful!” Magnus said as he stood, starting to collect some of the larger pieces of glass. “We don’t want him to cut his paws on the glass.” 

“It’d serve him right.” Isabelle muttered, still glaring at the cat in her arms, but she did place him down, carefully, on the other end of the couch before she left for the kitchen to collect some paper towels to clean up the mess. Alec scampered off, up the stairs towards him room, in a hurry to make his return. When Isabelle returned to the living room, a roll of paper towels in hand, she saw that her brother was nowhere to be seen. Time for a little revenge, she though.

“Has Alec ever told you about when he broke his leg?” She asked Magnus as she joined him in picking up the little bits of glass stuck in the carpet.

“No, I didn’t know he had.” Magnus answered, sitting back to look at her. 

“Well, we used to have a pool.” Isabelle said, “Mom had it filled in after this happened though. Apparently, we weren’t responsible enough for it.” 

“Oh no.” Magnus said. Candlewick Cove was on the ocean, but the water in Maine never really warmed up enough to make going into the water appealing. Magnus could only imagine how many times he would have been able to see Alec, shirtless, water dripping down his chest, bathing suit wet and practically glued to him, leaving nothing to the imagination, if the Lightwoods still had a pool…

“Yeah, I blame Jace and Alec.” Isabelle continued, snapping Magnus out of his thoughts, “They were the ones who decided to go jumping off the roof.” 

“Wait, which roof?” Magnus asked. The Lightwood house was large, large enough to be jokingly referred to as the Mayor’s Mansion by some, and the three story house had a few different stories. Magnus assumed, hoped, that they hadn’t been jumping off of the third story roof, that would have been the hardest to get to. The other levels could be accessed by climbing out a window on the second or third floor and would be safer, although still dangerous. 

“The garage.” Isabelle told him, “They were jumping off of the peak. Alec said that was where they could get the most distance from, but,” She looked at Magnus, “Apparently it still wasn’t enough distance. Jace made Alec go first. Alec said it was because he got scared when they finally got up there, although Jace will deny it. Alec almost made it too! Another foot and he would have been fine, but his right foot just caught the edge of the pool, and his leg snapped.” Magnus winced, he had never actually broken a bone so he could only imagine the pain. “Clary and I were sunbathing by the pool when it happened so we saw everything. I think Jace wanted to impress her and Alec wouldn’t let him do it alone. Of course, Jace never jumped. He saw what happened to Alec and ran back inside. I can still remember the sound it made.” Isabelle made a disgusted face at the memory. 

“What are you talking about?” Alec asked as he came down the stairs, trying so hard to appear nonchalant it was failing.

“Nothing.” Isabelle said too quickly, even though she knew Alec had heard most of their conversation. 

“Isabelle was telling me you used to have a pool.” Magnus said. 

“Oh, yeah, I don’t remember why we got rid of it.” Alec said, doing that thing he did every now and then where Magnus was never quite sure if it was Alec, making a bad joke by pretending to be clueless on a very obvious connection, or if he actually never made the connection between two things. He’s known the man for almost two years now, been dating for over a year, and Magnus still wasn’t quite sure. “It’s getting warmer, it would have been nice to have a pool right now.” Alec lamented. 

“Yes it would.” Magnus agreed, being drawn right back into his fantasy.

“Hey, we should go to the beach soon though.” Alec suggested, “It’s a bit too early in the season to go swimming, but we could always have a bonfire.”

“Aren’t fires on the beach prohibited?” Magnus asked.

“Yes, but Luke will never call us on it.” Alec told him, “I actually found some pictures from when my mom was in high school of the bonfires they used to have and he was in quite a few of them.” Magnus laughed, it was a bright and beautiful sound and Alec knew he’d do anything to hear it.

“I always knew he was a rule breaker.” Magnus laughed. 

“Hey, I know you have to be home soon,” Alec began and Magnus frowned. It was a school night, but Sundays were usually filled with denying that fact for as long as he could, and besides, Magnus really didn’t want to leave the Lightwood house. “Before you go, I want to give you something.” Alec inclined his head towards the stairs slightly, gesturing for Magnus to follow him. 

When he managed to follow Alec to his room, he got there just in time to see Alec hiding something he had picked up off his desk behind his back. 

“Whatcha got there?” He asked Alec, a little too casually, stepping closer to put Alec within arm’s reach. 

“Well,” Alec started, and Magnus knew he had seconds to get Alec to show it to him or Alec would get lost, over thinking it and second-guessing himself so much, he might never show Magnus. It had happened on his birthday last year, Alec was half-way to talking himself into returning the gift he had gotten Magnus, which Magnus had loved once Alec finally showed him, before he even gave it to him.

Magnus took another step towards Alec, snaking an arm around his waist, but Alec seemed to know what he was up to.

“Hey!” Alec exclaimed, pulling whatever was in his hands out of Magnus’s reach. 

“Alec, just show me!” Magnus said and Alec finally put a small box, wrapped in gold metallic paper, into his hands. 

“Happy Anniversary.” Alec told him, smiling, but Magnus could see the nervous anticipation in his eyes. Magnus smiled reassuringly at him before looking down at the box. He tore open the paper wrapping and opened the box but Alec placed a hand over his before he could open it. “I, uh, It isn’t- just don’t read into it?” He said before pulling his hand away to let Magnus open the box. 

Inside was a gold ring, there was no stone set into it, but instead the top was flat and had an intricately scripted ‘L’ in the center. It was clearly old, in great condition, but very obviously not made in this century. Magnus wondered if it was a family heirloom. He hoped it wasn’t. Not that Magnus wasn’t serious about Alec, he was, but a family heirloom was a lot for a high school romance. 

“I bought it.” Alec blurted out, clearly understanding the turmoil going on inside Magnus’s head. “I was at an antiques store and I just thought it looked like something you would wear? I know it’s a bit presumptuous to get you something with my initial on it-“ Magnus cut him off, here was the overthinking he knew to expect from Alec.

“I love it.” He said, slipping the ring onto the middle finger of his left hand, leaning in to kiss Alec, “Thank you.” When he pulled away from the kiss, Magnus remained close to Alec, one hand placed on his chest to hold his balance. Under his hand he could feel the magic of the necklace he had gotten Alec before he had left. It made him happy to know that Alec was actually wearing it, even if it didn’t match his aesthetic as nicely as the right he had gotten Magnus. He smiled up at Alec and the pair leaned back in, although they didn’t have far to go, but just as their lips met a voice from the hallway startled them apart. 

“Door open you two!” Maryse called from the hallway, “And Magnus, shouldn’t you be getting home soon?”

“We were just about to leave Mom.” Alec replied as he past Magnus to open the door to face a disapproving Maryse.

“Good. It was nice having you over Magnus, as always, but it is getting late.” Maryse told them before heading into Max’s room, it must have been the youngest Lightwood’s bedtime  
.   
“Come on.” Alec told him, “I’ll drive you home.” 

When they finally got to Magnus’s house Alec insisted on walking him to the door. 

“Again, thank you for the ring,” Magnus said, “I’m going to wear it every day.” 

“Magnus.” Alec said waving him off, blushing, but Magnus could see the little smile on his lips, Alec had really been worried that he wasn’t going to like it. 

“Wait, Magnus.” Alec said sharply, the flirting tone that had been in his voice just seconds ago gone. “Why is the door open? And the lights are all off?” Magnus immediately pushed Alec back, slightly behind him with his arm, turning to see his front door ajar. 

“I don’t know.” He said, his voice steady, not betraying any of the fear he felt.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback to how Magnus came to live with Ragnor in Candlewick Cove, it make the suspense of Ragnor's fate even more emotional.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm actually updating before the end of the semester! Turns out taking 5 engineering courses doesn't leave much time for writing... But it'll be over in a month, and I'll be able to update somewhat regularly then.

Before moving to Candlewick Cove, Magnus had lived his entire life in a cramped apartment in Brooklyn. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like, growing up in a house, with a lawn, a swing set in the yard, maybe a pool, maybe a garden, but space to run around. Not that he’d have given up living in New York for anything. 

After his mother died, Magnus was taken to the other realm. In the weeks that he stayed there, he was too preoccupied with everything changing in his life, from finding out about the other realm, that he was a witch, that his father wasn’t dead as his mother had told him, but rather was a leader of one of the most powerful factions on this other realm. 

His father had been cold and distant. He seemed to resent Magnus’s presence, and once he had found someone who could take care of Magnus in the mortal realm, far from the political turmoil in the other realm, his father seemed all too eager to get rid of him. Magnus was sure that he’d never find a place he felt at home on again. 

When he had met Ragnor, the man seemed cold in a different way than his father had. He had barely said a word to Magnus. Magnus hadn’t known what to say to him, and it seemed Ragnor had felt the same way. He had been mentally counting the days until he turned 18 and would be able to move out on his own. Maybe he’d go back to New York, although Magnus wasn’t sure how he could go back there without his mother. Maybe he’s go to London, or Los Angeles, or some other big city, where he could be another face on the street, where no one would know about his father or whatever political minefield he was leaving back in the other realm. 

He couldn’t imagine what this new town would be like. He pictured a stereotypical little town, where everyone had been there since birth, and they looked at outsiders with suspicion, and probably a little racism, and no doubt quite homophobic. The high school would have a graduating class of less than a hundred, and as the new kid, he’d be all anyone could talk about for a day or two, before they retreated to their deeply engrained cliques and left him alone. 

As they drove through Candlewick Cove, he was reminded of a Stephen King book, turned movie he had seen at a sleepover once. There was a reason they were all set in little towns in Maine, and now that he knew that magic existed, was a graveyard that brought things back from the dead that much crazier?

Once they arrived at the house, Magnus didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t much, a typical Cape Cod, with two bedrooms on the second floor, and enough space for Ragnor’s office on the first floor. Certainly not as fancy as some of the houses they had driven past on their way from the other realm. Ragnor explained that the town seemed much larger than it was because of all of the summer houses, they were a coastal town after all. 

There was a woman waiting for them at the house, dressed in scrubs, her dark hair pulled back from her face. Catarina, Ragnor introduced her as, in as few words as he could. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you were married.” Magnus had said, finally drawing a reaction from Ragnor. Catarina gave him a little laugh as Ragnor looked disturbed.

“Oh, no” Catarina said, “We’re just friends. I thought the two of you might need some help. I know Ragnor can be a little tough to warm up to at times.”

“I’m not tough, I just…” Ragnor muttered as Catarina continued. 

“What has he told you about the town so far?” She asked.

“Uh, well it’s called Candlewick Cove?” Magnus wracked his mind, trying to think of anything else but came up blank. Catarina gave Ragnor a look, like Magnus had just proved he correct.

“I’ll tell you about it as I show you to your room.” She said, picking up one of his bags and heading for the stairs. Once they made it to his room, she sat down on the bed, patting a spot next to her. Magnus sat down cautiously.

“How are you?” She asked, looking Magnus in the eye. “I mean, I know you’re not okay, after losing your mom, but finding out about all of this can’t have helped.” Magnus bit his lip, but he didn’t know what to say. Catarina reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. “Look, Ragnor, he’s a good man, but he isn’t always the best with emotions, his own or otherwise. Just know that I’m here too if you need someone to talk to. I’ll also be helping Ragnor train you to use your magic, so I’ll be around.” 

“Thanks.” He said, and for the first time since his mother’s death, he felt like someone actually cared about him, and wasn’t just trying to be rid of him as quickly as possible. 

“Come on,” She said, standing up, “Let’s go see if we can’t get more than a few words out of Ragnor.

It took a few days, but him and Ragnor got into a rhythm, Ragnor didn’t talk much, but Magnus learned to read him, and as Ragnor got more comfortable with him, he began to let slip more of his dry wit. Magnus could see what Catarina had told him, that Ragnor cared in his own ways, and between the two of them, he started thinking of Candlewick Cove as his home. He finally had a home again.


End file.
